1. Field of the Invention
The system of this invention resides in the area of sump pump discharge water escape systems and more particularly relates to a system for the discharge of water from a sump pump to the exterior of a building where such discharge system includes a water escape structure for the release of water to the exterior of such building even when the drain pipe has become blocked, such as by ice or snow.
2. History of the Prior Art
Water escape devices for freeze-prone sump pump discharge systems are known in the art. One example of such device is described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,746,254 to Janesky. In this patent a water escape device is interposed within a portion of the discharge pipe at the exterior of the building above the ground such that if the drain pipe becomes icebound, water will back up and escape through openings in the water escape device and flow out onto the ground.
It is an object of this invention to provide an improved sump pump discharge water escape system. Typically a sump pump is interconnected through drain pipes to the exterior of a building where such drain pipes extend down into the ground. In this invention an improved water escape member is interposed between the through-wall exit pipe and the drain pipe which extends into the ground. If water freezes within the drain pipe, the water flow will back up and rather than pass back into the sump and basement of the building which action could cause damage, the water will escape through the discharge openings in the water escape member which openings are arrayed in a 360-degree circumference. In addition, if it is desired for the water to pass to another area for drainage, a valve is provided on the water escape pipe which, when engaged, directs water through a hose member which can be extended to reroute the water flow to another area. There are holes drilled in the stopped check valve to reduce ice buildup. The water escape device is shaped like a truncated cone which extends between the upstream narrower, generally 1xc2xd-inch in diameter exit pipe at its top and the wider, generally 4-inch wide drain pipe at its base. The water escape device has a plurality of vertically disposed ribs extending therearound from its base to its top which define elongated discharge openings therebetween to allow the escape of water therefrom in a circular area around the device. This feature is an improvement over Janesky, U.S. Pat. No. 5,746,254 as it allows more water to escape in a 360-degree area as opposed to only the 180-degree area of the prior art, thus allowing more water to escape and reducing the chance of freeze-up.